Fibroid - I just found out I have it & need surgery

I took the week off from work this week and decided to get my annual pap smear test done. Okay, I confess that I haven't been to the OB-GYN office for 2 years. I'm a single, 35 year old woman who has not been sexually active for several years now (by choice) so I figured I was okay. Nope! Shame on me!

To make the long story short, my doctor discovered a large fibroid in my uterus and has scheduled me for surgery to remove it in the next few weeks. He told me that he assumed I still want the option of having a child in the future. He assumed correctly.

I started researching the causes of uterus fibroids and the general belief is that no one really knows what causes them. I did come across some articles stating overweight people, people with low Vitamin D3, and women who have never been pregnant are more liking to get them. Lovely. I fit all 3 risk factors.

Anyway, has anyone gotten fibroids? If so, did you remove them? How long did it take you to recover? My doctor told me he will use a technique called the "da Vinci Surgery"....where the doctor actually operates a robot to make accurate cuts in the uterus in order to remove the fibroid. He said I will not have to stay in the night in the hospital.

I'm a little bit nervous about it, but I'm going to do it. The only surgery I've had in my life so far was getting my wisdom teeth out. So this will be interesting. Also, I fear that I may hemorrhage while they operate on me...and then they end up having to perform an emergency hysterectomy to save my life....and I wake up with the knowledge that I'll never be able to have a biological child! I never realized how much I wanted to be a mother until the possibility of being infertile was actually a real possibility. I'm rambling now...

I encourage all of you ladies to read up on fibroid symptoms if you are not familiar with it because it is very common to get. In fact, I read that up to 80% of women will get fibroids at some point in their life before reaching age 50.

I had fibroids that were not so friendly. Emergency hysterectomy was what saved my life. The bleeding was so bad...it was coming out of me faster than they could transfuse it in (13 blood transfusions in 1 month).

What? I have fibroids and I certainly haven't had surgery. You should get a second opinion they are VERY common and most people just take a wait and see approach. They go away when you hit menopause.

The doctor and nurse practitioner both said since I've experienced pain in the past (even though I told them it only happens sporadically and only for a couple of seconds) and due to the fact that the fibroid is almost 7 cm according to the ultrasound, they insist I have it removed. I saw the ultrasound and was surprised how big it is. The doctor was surprised that I didn't experience more problems given the size of the fibroid.

I don't know. It's all been one big surprise to me. All I know is that I don't like this 'thing' growing inside me. I've Googled pictures of fibroids and I'm disgusted at knowing that I have this tumor growing inside my uterus wall even though it is a common thing for women to have. I'm 35 years old and will not be entering menopause anytime soon...so this fibroid will get bigger unless/until it is removed.

I have several close friends and relatives with fibroids. Some have had to have surgery, and others haven't. Some have had pain and/or fertility problems, and some haven't. The size and location has a lot to do with whether they'll make conceiving difficult, or so I've been told.

Are you comfortable? If so, then I agree that a second opinion might be in order in case they suggest waiting it out.

I had fibroids removed when I was in my early twenties. Mine were described as a bag of oranges and they were painful. They were able to cut them out and save the uterus. Two years later, I had a large bag of golf balls. During surgery they also discovered ovarian cancer, so they did a hysterectomy and I never had to deal with it again.

I don't know what my D3 level was, but I was thin and had been pregnant before, so you don't have to have the risk factors in order to get them. I wonder if it's genetic - Both of my sisters and several cousins had fibroids.

There is a great forum called "Hystersisters". I found it when I had a hysterectomy in 2005, and like 3FC..it does not give medical advice...but is a place to talk about the options, issues and experiences related to this kind of individual decision. It is quite extensive and there are lots of links to information.

Most women don't know they have them actually and there can be no repercussions for most. Fibroids are for the most part a benign condition and LOTS of women develop them. However..sometimes they do cause heavier periods and if you are younger and they are large there are other recommendations for treatment that buy you time and preserve your body and hormones. Second opinions are always wise when a hysterectomy is discussed and most insurance pays for that.... your Dr is first and foremost...the best guidance.
To educate yourself tho' I recommend using google and a good Medical sites like Mayo Clinic...(WEB MD is not the best for years as it at one time was...the info on there is now heavily influenced by paid endorsements..) At least then you can relate to yourself and ask good questions and make a good decison. Hystersisters has LOTS of links to good info. Did you google that?
A hyst for me was really no fun...I was in my 50s and did not bounce back as quickly as I'd have liked. I did have fibroids for years......but had another condition that precluded any other treatment and precipitated my surgery but still got 3 opinions before going ahead.

I had an endometrial ablation in November, 2012 for my fibroids. I had had them for about...10 years but did not have them removed as my dr had a wait and see attitude. My periods got worse and worse but I did not go to the gyn for a few years (had my tubes tied after 5 children and got lazy, I guess!). When I did (and I went to a new dr), I was extremely anemic - finally knew why I was so tired! The surgery was effective, as my periods are now about 40% lighter.

Your dr may be right that the size/location makes removal a good option right now. But I would recommend getting a second opinion before a non-emergency surgery. Mine weren't a problem till they were a problem...and as they tend to grow back, I am glad that I did not have the surgery too early, as I likely would have had to have another one anyway!

I am hoping that they do not grow back too much before I go into menopause...I am a bad risk for a hysterectomy after 5 sections